Refrigerator cabinet



Nov. 18, 1958 E. T. MORTON 4 2,860,807

REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed March 50, 1954 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I I I l I I I l I I ,/f m I, EL

LJ F17. 3

if |NvENToR Evans @Morton ATTORNEY Nov. 18, 1958 5.1'. MoRToN 2,860,807

REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed March 30. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Evans T. Morton F 7 VF5141 BY ./ffw 9 ATTORNEY- United States Patent@ REFRIGERATOR CABINET Evans T.v Morton, Galesburg,.lll.',. assignor to Admiral Corporation, Chicago, Ill.', a corporation of Delaware AppliationMrcli 30, 1954, SerialNo. 419,845

7 Claims. (Cl. 220;-15)

The present invention relates to refrigerators and more particularly to improved means for supporting', a liner of "arefrigerator in spaced relation to therouter cabinet shell.

Household refrigerators. as .presently constructed include an inner liner shaped to form a food compartment, an outer shell spaced outwardly from the liner, and thermal insulating material disposed between the liner and` the shell. To maintain the liner securely in place, it is thepractice to provide connectorstbetween the liner andthe outer shell.` The air wit-hin the food compartment formed by` theliner, however, is normally maintained at a substantially lower temperature than the. air in the room in which the refrigerator is installed and when the connectors are` formed of a thermally conductive metal, such as steel, the cold air within the liner cools the connectors. The ends of the connectors which are secured to the shell, however, are subjected to the temperature of the air in the room in whichtthe refrigerator ison the shell of the refrigerator adjacent the connector.v

The heat conducted from the room through the connectors into the food` compartment not only lowersthe eiciency of the refrigerator but deteriorates the finish.`

The presence of moisture on the outer shell adjacent the connectors has the tendency to collect dust: and its presence is annoying to fastidious housekeepers.

In the construction of the refrigerator. it is` desirablethat the outer shell `of the cabinet maintain a smooth-Hat surface. It frequently happens however that this surface departs from the desired flatness during fabrication duetothe fact that it is thin andthe door, beingattached to one side has atendency to bow the side outward. Furthermore since the inner liner which forms the food compartment has to be supported from the outer shell in spaced relation thereto it also causes distortion ofthe-A outer shell. The aboveis. particularly true during production where the tolerances are such thatin some places strainsare placed due to the connections of the parts.

Bythe present inventionthe outer shelllof the cabinetis provided with a means which spaces the back and the front flange accurately from eachother andholds the parts in rigidly spaced relation preventing any -buckling orl bowing of t-he side wall,` at the Sametime this ref infrcing means provides a most desirable support for the inner liner enabling the.. same, to bev accurately positioned'within the outer liner. It also providesa most defsirable means-for reinforcingth'e shelllopposite tothe lock strike and shocks` due to the` operation thereof' are taken,

up andtransmittedlto the back ofthe shell.v

Itis an object of the present invention to provide improved connectors,` between theV liner and` the shellv oferefri'geratorsby means ofi'which-the liner may-be se` ICC 2J curely maintained'inplace andl in which the connectors are so arranged-and constructed that the conductionof heat to the liner from warm air in contact with the shell of the refrigerator is minimized, lthereby eliminatingfthe formation of moisture on the outer shell of the ref frigerator.

Another object of the invention isto provide one or more connectors between the liner and the shell ofthe refrigerator in which thermal insulating material is as sociated with the connectors in such a manner that the conduction of heat from the warm airincontact with the shell of the refrigerator to the food compartmentof the liner is minimized.

A further object of the invention is to provide, improved means for connecting theliner of a refrigerator to the shellin which thepath through whichheat is conducted, from warm air adjacent the` shellfof the ref fr'igerator to the liner is comparatively, longfand the, con: duction of heat through the lconnectors is impeded by the presence of thermal insulating material.

The inventionwillbe better understood by reference to the accompanying drawingsin which:

Fig. l is aside elevational View of a refrigerator with parts brokenaway to show adjacent structure, the door, of the. refrigerator being shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a'detail elevational view of one of the front corners of the refrigerator;

Fig. 3 isl a view taken on a plane passing through theY line 3-3 of Fig. 21 showing parts insectionand parts inv elevation;

Fig. 4 isr an enlargedcross sectional view taken on,a planetpassing through the line 4t-4- of Fig..1, looking in the direction of arrows;

Fig.,5`is a cross sectional View takenona plane-pass-4 ing through the line-S of Fig. 3', looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8f are, enlarged crosssectional views taken on planespassing throughthe-lines y6,.-6, 7-7`, and 8,-8 respectively, of Fig. 1, lookingA in the, directionof the.

arrows.

Asl illustratedjn the drawings, athousehold refrigerator. of the usual type is shownrincludinga liner 1 shapedto provide a foodcompartment 2, Ya shell 3' spaced outwardly, from the liner, and thermal insulating material 4 disposed between the liner and the` shell. As shownin Fig..A 4, the shell of thetrefrigerator includes arear Wall Sand side wallsl 6 and 7, side. wall 6 having an inwardly extending flange S'whichis arrangedinspaced relation to` an outwardly extending ange 9on the sidewall 10 of theliner, and in a like mannerside, wall7 of` theshellisy provided with4 an inwardly extending-.flange 11y which is'l arranged' in lspaced re1ation. toan outwardly extending., flange 12 on the side wall,13 ofthe liner and, when the. partsofthe,refriger,atorV are assembledin placebreakel.'vl frames, not shown, which areA formed .ofa plastic material'A having thermalv insulating properties, are inserted between theoutwardly extending flangeonthe liner and the. inwardly extending flange on the shell.

According to the present invention, means are provided.' for securely maintaining the liner inplace which areso arranged andconstructedthat thev amount of heat which, is` conducted from air in the room surrounding the shell throughttheV connectors tothe inner liner is minimized andthe condensation of moisture on the shell ofthe refrigerator adiacentto the connectors `is substantially eliminated'. Forthispnrpose, connector meansl in the formof. one or more supporting members areprovided. Thesup porting members are. preferably formed of a metal, such as steeLandL are shaped toprovide the desired strength.. They may, for instance, be in the formy ofone or more channel irons arranged in the thermal insulation betweenV the linerl and4 each' side Walle offthe shell` which channel irons may be supported in place and thermally insulated from at least one portion of the shell in any desirable manner. As shown, one end of each of the channel irons is connected to the rear wall of the shell and the other end is connected through thermal insulating material to the side wall or flange adjacent the front of the refrigerator. For securely maintaining the linerv in place, each of `the. channel irons provides a support for one or more additional connectors extending between each of the channel irons and the inner liner which connectors are thermally insulated from the channel irons.

The number of channel irons which are-used will of course depend upon the height of the refrigerators and the capacity of the food compartment. For large refrigerators two or more channel irons may be provided between each side wall of the liner and the side wall of the shell spaced outwardly. therefrom and `this is particularly true if the refrigerator is provided with two or more food compartments. As shown inthe drawings, the supportingrnembers consist of two channel irons 14 and 15 which are arranged in the thermal insulation betweeneach side wall of the liner and the side wall of the shell spaced outwardly therefrom, and each of the channel irons is connected to the rear wall of the shell adjacent one side wall thereof by suitable means, such as a pair of bolts 16 extending through an inwardly extending flange on each side wall and the rear wall 5 of the shell. Each of the channel irons is shaped to rst eX- tend` inwardly to a position between each side wall of the liner and the side wall of the shell spaced outwardly therefrom and to lengthen the path of travel for heat conducted through the channel irons, each channel iron then extends at an acute angle relative to the rear wall to a position adjacent the inwardly extending flange on the side wall of the shell arranged at the front of the refrigerator. As shown, channel iron 14 extends downwardly at an acute angle relative to the rear wall, and if desired, channel iron may extend in a similar direction, or it may extend upwardly at an acute angle relative to the rear wall as shown in Fig. l.

It should be noted that the structure adapts itself to different kinds of liners. When a single liner is used, as shown in Fig. 1 the upper brace 14 will sui-lice to support the liner and in this instance the termination for the brace will come opposite to the door lock whereby the stresses due to locking are transmitted from the locking mechanism through the brace to the rear of the shell.r In the event that two separate liners are used, as in the case where one is a freezer chamber and the other a food keeping chamber, the upper brace extends to a position to support the lower end of the upper liner and the lower brace extends to a position to support the upper end of the lower liner. The positions of the two liners bottom and top are indicated by the dotted lines L1 and L2 respectively in Fig. l. It also adapts itself4 to structures where the freezer chest is in the lower part of the refrigerator and the food compartment in the upper. In this construction line L3 is the bottom of the food compartment and L4 is the top of the freezer compartment.

Each of the channel irons terminates in an outwardly extending portion 17 and thermally insulating means are provided to connect portion 17 of the channel iron to each sidewall of the shell. The connecting means is similar for each channel iron and consequently only one will be described. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6,

side wall 7 at its front end extends inwardly to form ange 11 which is-provided with a reverse bend forming a strip 18 which engages flange 11 and then extends rearwardly adjacent side wall 7 of the shell as indicated by the numeral 19 and terminate-s in an inwardly extending arm 20 arranged parallel to flange 11 and strip 18.

The outwardly extending portion 17 of the channel iron terminates between the strip 18 and arm 20 and means are provided to connect the channel iron in substantially thermally insulated relation to the side wall 7. As shown,

an angle iron 21 is provided, one arm of which is secured to wall 7 by suitable means, such as welding, and the other arm of which engages arm 20 and a thermal insulating material 22, such as laminated material bound together by a phenolic condensation product, is interposed between arm 20 and the outwardly extending portion 17 of the channel iron, one side of which insulating material extends downwardly and engages the free end of the channel iron. Angle iron 21, arm 20, and the thermal insulating material 22, are provided with aligned openings to receive a pair of bolts 23, each of which extends through an enlarged opening in angle iron 21 and an aperture in arm 20 and is threaded in the outwardly extending portion 17 of the channel iron. It will be appreciated that since thermal breaks are provided etween the channel irons 14-15 and the inner liner that the thermal break 22 may be eliminated. In this instance the member 17 would be bolted or welded directly to the ange 20.

As shown in Fig. 6, a portion of the front end of channel iron 15 is bent outwardly to form a support for a spacer 24 formed of a plastic insulating material, such as laminated material bound together by a phenolic condensation product. The spacer 24 may be secured to channel iron 15 by any suitable means, such as screws or an adhesive, and is arranged between the outwardly extending portion 17 of the channel iron and a front breaker frame which is not shown as it does not constitute any part of the present invention.

As previously stated, each of the channel irons 14 and 15 serves as a support for connectors extending between the channel iron and each side wall of the liner. The number of connectors extending between each channel ironand the liner of the refrigerator may of course be varied and will depend upon the size of the refrigerator and the capacity of the food container. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, a pair of spaced connectors 25 and 26 are provided which are arranged between the liner and,

each channel iron, each of which is constructed to connect the liner to the channel iron and to provide thermal insulation between the channel iron and the liner.

The connector 25 is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 7 of thedrawing and includes a cylindrical spacer 27 provided with a head or ange 28 having a central opening and an inwardly extending collar 29 through which a grommet 30 extends which is formed of a suitable thermal insulating material, such as rubber. The spacer 27 is also formed of a thermal insulating material which. Vhas suflicient rigidity to maintain the liner in a fixed` spaced relation to the` channel iron,. such as laminated material bound together by a phenolic condensation product. The grommet 30 also extends through an opening in the Vside wall of the liner 13, the metal of the liner forming the opening being provided with an annular rim 31 which is arranged in a recess between the head 28 of the spacer and the grommet 30. To secure the parts in position, a rod-shaped member having a head and a threaded portion, such as a screw or bolt 32, is provided which extends through a cup-shaped washer 33, the lower surface of which washer bears against the outer face of grommet 30 and then through the grommet andthrough an enlarged opening in channel iron 14 and is threaded into a spring fastener 34 arranged interiorly4 of channel 14.

To prevent rotation -of the spring fastener when and after the bolt 32 is threaded therein, opposite ends extend loosely through Vaperture in prongs or lugs 35 bent out-` the4 inwardly extending flanges on the sidewall and the.

V`asserted? liner, a spacer 36 -is providedwhich Iis suciently resilient -to enable the lbreaker frames to be easily inserted in place between the flange 1-1 and the liner-.@As shown, spacer 36 is formed of Aa resilient thermal, insulating material, such as rubber, one end of which engages the face of -channel iron 14 and the other end of which extends through an opening in the adjacent side wall of the liner. After the opening Vis .formed in the 4liner, the wa'll of the liner lsurrounding the opening is bevelled ,inwardly as illustrated in Fig. 8 to form -a -recess into which one end of spacer 36 extends and the portion of the liner below the recess extends inwardly into an 'annular recess in the spacer.

' To provide a secure connection between thewall 13 of the liner and the channel iron 14, a cup-shapedr washer 37 engages the innerjend 'of spacer 36, the outer periphery of which washer extends into the recess in fthe Vliner and a screw or threaded bolt 38 extends -throughra cup retainer 39, the washer 37, a central opening in the spacer 36 Vand an enlarged opening in the inner face ofuchannel 14 and is heldin place by aspring fastener 40 and for preventing rotation of fastener-f4() when and after the bolt 38 is threaded therein,v the opposite ends of fastener v40 extend through aperture on A`prongs or :lugs V41 bent 'outwardly from the face 4of vchannel 14. The cup-shaped washer 39 serves to retain a suitable cap 39a fin place.

Means are also arranged Zat each of thelower c-orners of the refrigerator for connecting the'shell to the liner and thermally insulating the liner vfrom the shell. For this purpose, an angle-shaped corner piece 42 Vis provided at each Vlower corner of the refrigerator, rone portion of which is connected to the bottom wall 43 of the shell .and another portion of which extends upwardly between the liner and shell .at each corner and fis connected -to the liner by a suitable connector designated generally by the numeral 44. Y y

As illustrated, each of the corner pieces `42 is lprovided with a downwardly extendingilange 45 whichis welded or otherwise secured to a llange 446 extending upwardly from the door jamb. The corner piece 42extends inwardly and upwardly from flange 46 .at anfangle and thenvertically and finally terminates ina horizontaly flange 48 extending below the lower wall 49 -of ythe liner and means are provided between the lower wall -49 of the liner and flange 48 for insulating the liner from llange A4$fand bottom wall 43 of the shell. For this purpose, asuitable thermal insulating material, such as rubber or a plastic material, yin the form of one or more blocks 50 is interposed between the liner 49 and 'flange 48. As illustrated, each ofthe blocks is provided with la recess to yreceive an angle-shaped .portion of corner piece 42 and -a :hook-shapedstrip vS1 is provided having its hook portion engaging an upwardly extending bead l52. on the liner which is spaced inwardly from the front portion thereof. The hook-shaped strip 51 is provided with a llange 53 which extends below block 50 and with Va lug '54 `which extends into the block. As illustrated 'in Figs; Zand 3, a supporting member which is shown Vis in the form of `a flange 55`on corner piece 42 extends between the'side walls 6 and i10,'respec tively, ofthe liner and shell andthe flange on ajsimilar corner piece, not shown, extends between the side walls 7 and 13,'respectively, of the liner land shell, and means are provided to connect the liner to each of thek corner pieces. For this purpose, -aconnector44 arranged at each corner is provided as illustrated-.more particularly in Fig. 5. As shown, a'thermal insulating spacer 56 which may be formed of a laminated material bound'tog'ether by a phenolic condensation product, is arranged between the side wall 10 of the liner yand flange 55. Spacer 56 is provided with a central opening to receive the cylindrical portion 57 of a grommet having an annular ange 58 which engages the inner face of liner 10 and a screw or threaded bolt 59 extends through a cup-shaped washer all, the grommenand an enlarged opening in flange and is secured in place by means of a spring fastener 61.

the fastener loosely extends. The cup-'shaped washer 4'60 serves to retain a rubber cap 63 in place.

The channel irons 14 and 15 thus provide several functions. Since the wall 7 is relatively thin there is normally a tendency for it to bow outward or warp during assembly Vparticularly whena 'door is hung on `one 4"of the walls. The channel 14 therefore serves as a brace which strenghens the wallk and maintains avconstant spacing between the back vand the front in the yface-of forces "tending Vto change this spacing.y Furthermore since the front ends terminate `at the place where the lock strike is located, shocks due to closingthe door are transmitted to 'the entire structure rather thanV being localized. In addition they jpr-ovide support for the liners as Vfully stated.

What is 4claimed is: 1. In a refrigerator having a liner and a shell spaced outwardly from said liner, a rigid supporting member extending frotn the rear portion of said shell to a position adjacent` the front end thereof and being positioned throughout its extent intermediate its ends in spaced relation to said liner and shell, a connector extending between said supporting member and said-liner at a position adjacent the rear portion of said liner, and a connector extending between said supporting member and said liner adjacent the front end of said shell, each'of said connectors-including a spacer formed of thermal insulating material `engaged between 'the supporting member and the liner and means thermally insulated from said liner connecting the liner to said supporting member.

2. A refrigerator having a liner provided with opposite side walls, a shell surrounding the liner and having a rear V.portion and side wallsv which extend forward therefrom and terminate infront portions, one of the side walls ofthe shell being spaced outwardly from one side wall of said liner and the other side wall of said shell being spaced outwardly from the -other .fside wall of said liner, two pairs of supporting members, each of the supporting members of one pair being secured in spaced relation to each other to the rear portion of said lshell adjacent one side wall of the shell and extending inwardly to a position intermediate one side wall of said liner and said one side wall of said shell and the other pair of supporting members being secured in spaced relation to each other to the rearportion of said shell adjacent the other side wall of the shell and extending inwardly to a position intermediate the other side wall of the liner and the other side wall of said shell, each of one pair of supporting members then extending at an acute angle relative to the rear portion of said shell to a position adjacent the front portion of one side wall and each rof the other pair of supporting members extending at an acute angle relative to the rear portion'of the shell to -a position adjacent the front of the other side wall of said shell, each supporting member throughout its extent being spaced a `substantial distance outward from the adjacent side wall of the liner, thermal insulating material arranged between each of the first pair of supporting members and the front portion of one of the side walls of the shell and thermal insulating material arranged between'each of the second pair of supporting members andthe front portion of the other side wall kof .the shell, means associated with the thermal in sulating material for connecting the front portion of each side wall of the shell to each supporting member, a rst pair of connectors arranged between each of the rst pair of supporting members and one side wall of the liner and a second pair of connectors arranged between each of the second pair of supporting members and the other side wall of the liner, each of said connectors including a spacer formed of thermal insulating material engaged between each supporting member and the adjacent side wall of the liner, and means for connecting each side wall of the liner to each of the supporting members at said spacers.

3. A refrigerator cabinet comprising an outer shell having a back and spaced sides extending forward from said back and having inturned anges at their forward ends at the front of the shell, an inner liner within said shell having a back l and forwardly extending opposite sides which are spaced inward respectively from the back and sides of the outer shell, a pair of rigid braces connected respectively to the back of the outer shell adjacent the respective sides of the outer shell, each of said braces extending from its connection to the back of the outer shell inward toward the inner liner and thence forward between the adjacent sides of the outer shell and the inner `liner to the front of the outer shell, each brace at its forward end having a transverse portion which extends outward toward the adjacent side of the shell and is connected to the inturned flange on said side of the shell, each brace throughout its extent being spaced substantially outward from the adjacent side of the liner and inward from the adjacent side of the outer shell, a pair of rst spacers of thermal insulation material respectively engaged between each brace and the respective side of the liner adjacent the back of the liner to space them apart and attachment members thermally insulated from the liner which connect the braces to the respective sides of the liner at said rst spacers, and a pair of second spacers of thermal insulation material respectively engaged between each brace and the respective side of the liner adjacent the front of the liner to space them apart thereat and attachment members thermally insulated from the liner which connectthe braces to the respective sides `of the liner at said second spacers.

4. The cabinet of claim 3, wherein each of said second spacers is resilient.

5. The cabinet of claim 3, wherein cach of said braces between the first and second spacers extends forward and downward at an acute angle with respect to the back of the outer shell, and wherein there are provided a second pair of braces connected respectively to the back of the outer shell adjacent the respective sides of the outer shell and in spaced relation below the first-mentioned braces, each of the braces of said second pair extending from its connection to the back of the shell inward toward the inner liner and then forward between the adjacent sides of the outer shell and the inner liner to the front of the outer shell, each brace at its forward end having a transverse portion which extends outward toward the adjacent side of the shell and is connected to the inturned flange on said side of the shell in spaced relation below said first-mentioned braces, each brace of said second pair throughout its extent being spaced substantially outward from the adjacent side of the liner and inward from the adjacent side of the outer shell, a pair of third spacers of thermal insulation material respectively engaged between each brace of said second pair and the respective side of the liner adjacent the back of the liner to space them apart and attachment members thermally insulated from the liner which connect the braces of said second pair to the respective sides of the liner at said third spacers, 4a fourth pair of spacers of thermal insulation material respectively engaged between each brace of said second pair and the respective side of the liner adjacent the front of the liner to space them apart thereat and attachment members thermally insulated from the liner which connect the braces of said second pair to the respective sides of the liner at said fourth spacers, and each of the braces of said second pair between the third and fourth spacers extending forward and upward at an acute angle with respect to the back of the outer shell.

6. A refrigerator cabinet comprising an outer shell having a back and spaced sides extending forward therefrom, an inner liner within said shell having a back and forwardly extending sides which are spaced inward from the back and sides of the outer shell, a pair of rigid braces connected respectively at their back ends to the back of the outer shell and extending forward therefrom between the adjacent sides of the shell and liner and connected at Atheir forward ends to the outer shell, each of said braces throughout its extent being spaced substantially outward from the adjacent side of the inner liner, and connectors connecting the respective braces to the sides of the inner liner, each of said connectors comprising a spacer of thermal insulation material engaged between the brace and the adjacent side of the inner liner and an attachment member which is thermally insulated between the brace and the adjacent side of the liner and which connects the -brace to the adjacent side of the liner.

7. A refrigerator cabinet comprising an outer shell which has spaced sides, a bottom wall and a front opening above the bottom wall and between the sides, an inner liner within said shell and having spaced sides and a bottom wall inl spaced relation to the sides and bottom wall of the shell, said liner having a front opening above its bottom` wall and between its sides, a rigid corner piece having alateral portion which is attached to the bottom wall of the shell and having an upstanding portion which extends upward from said lateral portion around the corner between the bottom wall of the liner and one of the sides of the liner, said corner piece projecting upward between the adjacent side of the shell and said one side of the liner and being spaced from both, a connector connecting said one side of the liner to said upstanding portion of the corner piece, said connector including a spacer of thermalinsulation material engaged between said one side of the liner and said upstanding portion of the corner piece and an attachment member thermally insulated from the liner which connects said upstanding portion of the corner piece and said one side of the liner, said bottom wall ofthe liner having a downturned flange at its forward end which terminates in a rearwardly and upwardly projecting lip, a thermal insulation member engaged between said lateral portion of the corner piece and said bottom wall of the liner, and an attachment member carried by said insulation member and presenting a forwardly and downwardly projecting lip which seats on said lip on the ange of the bottom wall of the liner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,250,139 Shimer July 22, 1941 2,250,160` Henry July 22, 1941 2,266,893. Nauert Dec. 23, 1941 2,275,482 lFord Mar. l0, 1942 2,322,495 Wurtz June 22, 1943 2,329,755 Goulooze Sept. 21, 1943 2,331,845 Rundell 3.----.. Oct. 12, 1943 2,334,237 Baker Nov. 16, 1943 2,394,229 Bergstrom Feb. 5, 1946 2,520,972 Siple Sept. 5, 1950 2,604,194 Hammitt July 22, 1952 2,613,838 King Oct. 14, 1952 

